Electric safety combination lock



Feb. 23 1926.

I L. CADENEL ELECTRIC SAFETY COMBINATION LOCK Filed Jan. 15, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I I I I I I l l I I I I I I l I are/afar; M/izeues 5 Feb. 23 1926. 1,573,802

4 L. CADENEL ELHCTRIQSAFETY COMBINATION LOCK Filfld Jan. 15, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented 23, i526.

unit.

LOUIS cAnnnnL, or PARIS, FRANCE.

ELECTRIC SAFETY COMBINATION LOCK.

Application filed January 15, 1923. Serial No. 612,843.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS GAnnNnL, a citizen of the French Republic, residing at 7 Rue de Tracy, Paris, France, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Safety Combination Locks, of which the following is specification.

This invention has for its object to provide a multiple combination electric safety lock, which enables a door to be locked without the use of a key; it being only possible to open and close it when in possession of the secret of the combination.

The figures of the combination can be varied at will by the owner of the lock, and the numberof combinations can be as large as is desired.

The cover which has to be removed in order to alter the number can only be so removed when the proper number to which the device isset is known. I

In addition, any attempt to open the lock :made by aperson who is not in possession of the number is immediately signailed by one or-more electric bells.

Finally, the lock is adapted to be released from the interior of the apartment by means of a simple electric push, which may be more or less concealed; this arrangement being provided for convenience of the occupant of the apartment.

The accompanying drawings show, by way of example, one method of carrying the invention into practice.

In these drawings Fig. 1 shows the interior of the lock and illustrates the various mechanisms, their ar rangement and the electric connections.

Fig. 2 is an outside elevation of the lock showing the two knobs for the combinations and the knob for operating the bolt.

. Fig. 3 is an elevation of one of the cylindrical coimnutators on the combination mechanism.

Fig. t is a plan of the two connnutators illustrating the figure controlling devices. Fig. 5 is a cross section through one of the commutators with its enclosing cover provided with means for preventing the removal of the cover when the figure of the combination is not known.

As will be seen from the two first figures, the whole lock mounted upon a metallic base plate P, adapted to be attached to the door, which it is required to lock.

'lhe bolt ,ii ot the lock slides in guides and.

controllcd by the knob A (see Fig. 2) through the rotation of :1 small toothed wheel I) meshing with a rack on the bolt.

The bolt is also provided with two recesses c and 0 corresponding to the closed and opened positions, and it is secured in one or other of these positions by means of the movable armature n of an electro-magnet 6 which drops into one or other of the recesses.

Consequently, the lock cannot be opened or closed unless an electric current is passed through the coil of the electro-magnet e.

For this purpose, the bolt, which constitutes with the base plate P a continuous metallic portion of the apparatus, carries a spring controlled rubbing contact 7' which is in electrical connection with the metallic casing. This rubbing contact, when it is desired to open or closethe lock, comes into contact with the insulated copper block (Z which is connected to the contact brush 9' of the first commutator.

There are two cylindrical commutators, each of which is adapted to take up any one of 8 positions, thus giving 6%. possible com binations; if there are N C(Jlllll'lllttltOl'S there will be 8 possible combinations.

Each of these commutatorscomprises a metallic wheel k or if as the case may be furnished with 8 notches disposed symmetrically around its periphery, and the contact spring R or R provided with a contact stud which adapted to drop into the notches, is ar'anged to bear upon thccorresponding wheel. The contact stud drops in with sutlicient force to be perceptible to the touch and so that it can be heard coming out of engagement when turning the knob a or (6 This enables the position of the connnutators to be (lGtBl'HllIlOd by counting the number of clicks without any figures appearing on the exterior of the lock.

The notched wheel h or it is insulated from the main metallic body of the apparatus and is permanently connected elcctricab ly with the contact finger i or i as the case may be. The linger turns with the wheel around its axis. g or is a copper ring, also insulated trom the main body and turning with the commutator, at the same peripheral distance as (iii i It has a cut away portion in which located one the contact fingersi or as the case may be.

The spring brushes '1 and new upon the cylindrical members carrying the rings and the contact fingers; and there are two other similar spring brushes 7" 1 placed diametrically opposite the first mentioned brushes; it is however to benoted that the brushes W, a can never come into contact with the contact fingers i F.

The contact ring and the contact finger are so relatively spaced that when one of the brushes For 1 is in contact with the contact finger i or i the stud olthe spring contact R or R drops exactly into a notch in 'the wheel [L or commutator is connected to the plate C wlnch is connected to one of the extrcnnties of the. electric coil, whilst the other extremity of the said coil is connected to the.

terminal 1 of the apparatus.

In addition, the apparatus is provided ,with the unlocking or releasing handle is which comprises a metallic blade is which comes normally into contact with an upper contact stud Z connected to the metallic casing of the apparatus. The fixed end 0 of the blade is is connected to the terminal 2 of the apparatus.

When the handle 70 is operated, the blade is is moved from the upper contact Z and brought into contact with the lower contact stud g which is connected with the plate C and thence with the electro-magnet.

Between the terminals 1 and 2 is connected as indicated at u the external source of current (battery accumulator, lighting circuit or the like) and with the terminals 1 and 3 is connected the alarm bells s.

' 1 1 no ''or '01 1 u 10' 2 lV tl t i eg ng co1st1 ct n nd u rangement it will be seen that when the brush r bears exactly upon al and 1 upon 2' and the handle A controlling the bolt of the lock is turned, the electric circuit is completed through the following members:-the casing 7, (Z, 1, '5 if, R r, i 7L2, R G, e, a, the casing.

The electro-magnet raises the arn'iaturc and trees the bolt which an then open or close. In each, position, that is when the bolt is open orclosed, the rubbingcontact 7 leaves the contact block (Z and breaks the circuit.

It on the other hand the two brushes 1 and T or only one of them, is not in contact with the corresponding finger i or t the brushor brushes will. be in contact'with the ring or rings 9 or g at the same time as the brushes 1" and 1, so that when the attempt is made to operate the bolt of the lock, the circuit is closed through the hell 3 which gives an alarm. The current is however not passed through the electro-magnet, so that the lock cannot be opened.

The commutators are thus brought into series for opening the lock and into parallel for giving the alarm in case of an attempt to open the lock. 7

If a larger number of commutators is provided, in order to increase the possible number of combinations, there is the same underlying principle adopted for connecting them. I

At Fig. 4: is shown the manner in which each of the commutators is set into the proper position.

Each of the insulated cylindrical members of the commutators is provided with 8 perforations, o is stopping finger mounted loosely upon the spindle of the comm utator and provided with a pin which is adapted to engage in any one of the 8 perforations, thus determining the position of the stopping finger o with respect to the cylindrical body and consequently with respect to the contact finger 2' of the commutator.

The stopping finger is adapted to come against the stop 00 either to the right ortothe left. Thisscrewstop 0: determines the initial position of the cylinder from which the owner of the lock calculates the number of clicks desired to obtain the release of the bolt. According to the number of the hole or perforation, which may be chosen arbitrarily for each commutator, a different controlling number and combination will be obtained.

In addition, so that nobody except the owner of the secret of the number can change the number of the combination, or

discover it by simply opening the cover I) this cover itself, besides being provided with screw means of attachment, is locked in the following manner Each of the commutators is surmounted by a dished portion 3 shaped as shown at Fig. 5. This is connected to the spindle at the same time as the stopping finger o by means of the screw V but so that it moves in unison therewith.

' The dished member '1 is cut away at Z in such a manner that the hook in on the cover can pass through such cut away portion when it comes opposite thereto.

The hook w, one of which is provided for each commutator is attached to the cover and adapted to engage behind the respective dished member y.

In this way, the cover can only be removed when the openings Z of all the comnmtators come simultaneously opposite to ice hooks in, and this only occurs in the positions of the commutators corresponding with the number which is utilized for con trolling the opening oi the lock.

As regards the electro-n'iagnet e of the apparatus, it is of special construction in so far that it is provided with a magnetic jacket m, which entirely surrounds the winding.

This protects the armature from external fields which might be produced by the use of a magnet, with a view of attempting to release the bolt.

t .is a perforation through the jacket in order to enable air to pass.

The small armature n which is introduced into a perforation provided in the bolt is intended to take the place of the armature n in a case where by the use of a powerful electro-magnet, an attempt might be made to raise the primary armature to disengage it from the recess 0 thus preventing by this secondary means the fraudulentopening of the lock. On the other hand, the lower check of the magnet being of somewhat thick iron, the magnetic circuit m does not give the minimum of reductance and gives the maximum of attraction on the armature when the magnet is excited.

Finally, in order that the armature n should not stick through the residual induction, either in the upper position or in the lower one, it is provided at each end with a small thickness of copper to form a light intercepting device.

This has for object also to render as rapid as possible the attraction of the armature when 7 touches d, so that the lower extremity of a shall not jam against the sides of 0 or 0 preventing the movement of the bolt, in spite of the fact that the current is passing around the magnet.

vThis secret lock with automatic alarm is applicable not only to the doors of apartments, or furniture, but for closing sates and for all apparatus which should not be operated or removed without the knowledge of the owner or of a person responsible for its safety. 7 lVhat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States of America is 1. In a safety lock of the type described, the combination of a sliding bolt provided with two recesses, one corresponding to the open, and the other to the closed position of the lock, an electromagnet having a movable armature adapted when current is not passing through the coil of the magnet to en age in either of the said recesses, mechanism for operating the bolt by means of a knob from the outside, a plurality of commutators, each of said commutators being provided with a metallic wheel with symmetrically disposed notches around its periphery, the said wheel being insulated from the raising and being carried by a spindle adapted to be operated by means of a knob on the outside, a spring crmducting arm provided with a stud adapted to engage the said notches, a conducting linger mount" ed upon each commutator wheel, an insulated broken ring also mounted upon the said wheel, conducting brushes adapted to come into contact with the said linger and the said ring, means for setting the commutator wheel so that the finger only comes into contact with the corresponding brushes after a determined number of notches of the connnutator wheel have been passed, a source of electric energy, an alarm bell and suitable electric connections so arranged that when the lingers ot all the connnutators coincide with their contact brushes, the current passes to the magnet to enable the lock to be operated, whilst when both the brushes ot a commutator rest upon the coir ducting ring the current passes to the alarm bell and the magnet is not operated, a notched dished disc in connection with the mechanism through which a hook attached to the cover is adapted to pass when the figure combinations are in the correct positions for opening the locks, all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In a safety lock of the type described, the combination of a sliding bolt provided with two recesses one corresponding to the open and the other to the closed position of the lock, an electroniagnet having a movable armature adapted when current is not pass ing through the coil of the magnet to engage in either of the said recesses, mechanism for operating the bolt by means of a knob from the outside, a plurality of commutators, each of said connmitators being provided with a metallic wheel with synnnetrically disposed notches around its periphery, the 7 said wheel being insulated :trom the casing and being carried by a spindle adapted to be operated by means of a knob on the outside, spring conducting arm provided with a stud adapted to engage the said notches, a conducting finger mounted upon each commutator wheel, an insulated broken ring also mounted upon the said wheel, conducting brushes adapted to come into contact with the said linger and the said ring. means for setting the commutator wheel so that the finger only comes into contact with the corresponding brushes after a determined num ber of notches of the commutator wheel have been passed, a source of electric energy, an alarm bell and suitable electric connections, so arranged that when the fingers of all the commutators coincide with their contact brushes, the current passes to the magnet to enable the lock to be operated. whilst when both the brushes ot a comn'lutator restupon the condueting ring, the current passes to the alarm bell, Whilst the magnet is not operated, the bolt of the lock being further provided With a recess containing a secondary electric armature adapted to operate as a secondary locking means, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In apparatus of the type described, and as claimed in claim 1, the combination therewith of means under the control of the operator for passing a current through the 10 electromagnet and releasing the lock independently of the combination mechanism, substantially as and for the purposes described.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto 15 subscribed my name.

LOUIS OADENEL. 

